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Himes Statement on Verizon Phone Records

Jun 6, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) released the following statement in response to reports that Verizon has been under court order to release all phone record data to the National Security Agency:

“I am deeply troubled by reports that Verizon has been under court order to release all phone record data to the National Security Agency. In light of the Department of Justice's seizure of a wide variety of the Associated Press’s phone records, it is becoming uncomfortably clear that the privacy of the American people is being compromised by intrusive and over-zealous intelligence gathering and law-enforcement activity. This is the second time in as many months that government surveillance has stretched or broken precedent and eroded our reasonable expectations of privacy. While we must be vigilant in protecting our nation, we must adhere to and protect our most basic liberties. I am a proud cosponsor of the Free Flow of Information Act, known as the reporter shield law, and the Telephone Records Protection Act which will insert oversight into the Departments of Justice’s record gathering process. As a new member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I have not received a briefing on the NSA's activities with respect to Verizon, but I intend to diligently review these programs and to push back against over-broad and intrusive intelligence gathering.”